Government structure in Norway

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Government structure in Norway

• Murmansk, May 2007
• Brit Olssøn

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• Norway
• 1800 km from north to south
• 342.000 km2
• 4,6 mill inhabitants
• 13,8 persons pr km2

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Historical background

• Independent until 1530
• Danish province 1530- 1814
• The Norwegian constitution 17 may 1814 - three
  main principles
• sovereignty of the people,
• separation of powers,
• human rights
• Union with Sweden 1814 1905
• Parliamentarisme from 1884 (not constitution)

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Public sector

• Public administration act
• Freedom of information act
• Rule of law
• Public and administrative decisions within the
  law and according to the law
• Fair and equal handling of each case
• Efficient, predictable, professional
  administration
• Accountability and transparency
• open, can afford scrutiny

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Levels of government

• National government
• Regional state level (administration)
• Local/Regional government (elected)

Storting 169 reps
Government 18 ministries
Court of Justice
Regional Governor (19)
Government agencies
County Authorities 19
Municipalities 431
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Storting

• Parliamentarism Government stays in power as
  long as it has the confidence of the Parliament
• Vote of non-confidence
• Minority Majority
• One party
• Coalition

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Levels of government

• National government
• Regional state level (administration)
• Local/Regional government (elected)

Storting 169 reps
Government 18 ministries
Court of Justice
Regional Governor
Government agencies
County Authorities 19
Municipalities 431
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Local government

• Alderman Act 1837 defined local authorities'
  rights and responsibilities.
• Local government act 1992
• Delegation of authority through special law to
  the municipals and counties
• Directly elected levels

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Local government Finmark 49.000 km2, 74.000
inhabitants (1,5 pr km2) 19 municipalities Vestfo
ld 2.200 km2, 210.000 inhabitants (88,8 pr km2)
14 municipalities Oslo 512.000 Utsira 233
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Local government

• Central government overriding authority and
  supervision of local government
• Local government - generalist principle
• Difference in size/topography and population
• 159 have less than 3.000 inhabitants
• Half has less than 5.000 inhabitants
• 10 have more than 50.000 inhabitants
• Two-tier system
• Municipalities (431)
• county authority (19)
• (Oslo capital both municipal and county)

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Local government counties
County Authorities 19

• Upper secondary school
• Regional development
• country roads and public transport
• regional planning
• Business development
• Culture (libraries, museums, sports)

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Local government municipalities
Municipalities 431

• Primary and lower secondary school
• Nurseries/kinder gardens
• Care for elderly and disabled, social services
  (social assistance, child welfare,
  drugs/alcohol),
• local planning (land use), agricultural issues,
  environmental issues, local roads
• harbours, water and sewage
• Refugees and immigrants

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Levels of government

• National government
• Regional state level (administration)
• Local/Regional government (elected)

Storting 169 reps
Government 18 ministries
Court of Justice
Regional Governor (19)
Government agencies
County Authorities 19
Municipalities 431
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Regional state level (adm)
Regional Governor (19)
Government Agencies (60?)

• Gov.by different ministries
• Roads, innovation, welfare, labor, police,
  prisons, higher education, hospitals, national
  insurance scheme specialized health services

• Appointed by the government
• Supervision of municipals and counties
• Implement decisions of the Storing and central
  government.
• Separate responsibilities environmental issues,
  agriculture

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ELECTIONS
Regional level

• Election period 4 years
• Local/regional elections
• 2003 2007 2011
• 2005 2009
• National elections

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Decentralization of power

• National government
• Regional state level (administration)
• Local/Regional government (elected)

Storting 169 reps
Government 18 ministries
Court of Justice
Regional Governor (19)
Government agencies
County Authorities (19)
Municipalities 431
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New regional reform

• Tasks today
• Upper secondary school
• Regional development
• Country roads and public transport
• Regional planning
• Business development
• Culture (libraries, museums, sports, cultural
  heritage)
• New tasks from county governor Environmental and
  resource management, agriculture
• New task from regional agencies roads, ½
  innovation business development, culture
  institutions, sports
• NO centralisation of municipal responsibilities!
• Principle of subsidiary

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Decentralization of power

• National government
• Regional state level (administration)
• Local/Regional government (elected)

Storting 169 reps
Government 18 ministries
Court of Justice
Regional Governor (fewer )
Government Agencies (fewer)
Regions 7- 9
Municipalities 431
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Regional reform

• December 2006 - white paper on the new regions
  responsibility
• Spring 2007 Parliament decision
• Spring 2008 Government put forward white paper
  on new boarders 7 9 or 15?
• Government decision
• 1.1. 2010 The former counties replaced by new
  regions

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